Aurora Watching
by Yamadori
Summary: Blue Dragon Plus. Directly after Area 23: Bomb Factory. Thousands of years later, both of them still remember a small conversation said in passing. Nene x Himiko


**Wow, I finally got this up! :D This one was actually pretty easy to write, and didn't take much time... The only reason it's late is because I've been a bit busy... and then I had problems uploading it (don't ask)... and I'm working on a kind-of-oneshot that isn't on the planned stories list, which hopefully won't take too much longer to write... If you've been reading the notes in my last several updates, there's a hint about which one it is. ;) Anyway, I have a quick announcement:**

**NOTICE!! The release date for Blue Dragon: Ikai no Kyojuu is no longer October 1st, 2009. The new release date is _October 8_****_th_****_, 2009_.**

**Okay, so there's the news... I guess I'll talk about this story just a tiny bit (don't want to spoil it). Basically, I ended up being inspired by a combination of the Mecha Robos talking about the Aurora Ruins in the first game, and Himiko's flashback images in Area 15: Mate's Grief in Blue Dragon Plus. Also, the fact that there are very few stories about Nene or Himiko, let alone Nene x Himiko, or even stories about Plus, pushed me to write this as well. :P ... And I'll probably end up rambling and spoiling something if I say anything else, so I'll just let you guys read it. XD After the disclaimer, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon, so it kind of goes without saying that I don't own Blue Dragon Plus. XP But, I do have a copy of the game! :D**

_While placing the recently picked flowers into a vase on the side table, she talked to him. "They say that they're lovely, the most beautiful thing you ever see."_

_He shook his head, though this was slightly impeded because of lying on the bed. "Nothing could be as beautiful as you."_

_Himiko felt her face grow warm, but continued regardless. "You're just being sweet... Still, it would be nice to see the auroras one day, don't you think? I'd like to see them..."_

_Nene smiled at her warmly. "Someday, when I am well, I'll take you to see these auroras."_

_Her own smile was distant, perhaps even sad. "Yes... Someday."_

* * *

She woke to the sound of low voices, light laughter, and bickering with very little hostility. As she pushed the blanket off of herself, it took a moment for her to realize where she was, and everything that had taken place. And she suddenly found the memory in her dream to be a bit unsettling - it was strange, for something that felt like it had happened only yesterday, to have actually taken place several thousand years ago.

Himiko stood, then looked over at the rest of the group, who hadn't yet noticed her being awake - Shu and Marumaro, arguing over who got the last cookie; Sahlia, telling them that she could always bake more; Kluke, giving everyone servings of the meal she had prepared; Zola, planning out a strategy or some such; and everyone else, either eating, observing the fight with no small amount of amusement, or going about some of their daily habits.

She couldn't help but smile - though she had only known them a short time, she was close with all of them. In a way, the group of sixteen almost seemed to make their own strange family.

It was then that Nene realized she had woken up; he immediately rose to meet her. "Good evening, Himiko."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Evening?"

"Himiko!" Shu jumped up, causing Marumaro to nearly spill onto the floor, running over to her. "Glad to see that you're awake - you were so exhausted after the battle, I didn't think you'd wake up so soon!"

"Battle...?" Himiko looked back and forth from Shu to Nene, hoping for some clarification.

Shu nodded. "Yeah. Don't you remember?" He grinned wider then. "We stopped the Bomb Mecha Robos!"

"Oh..." Her eyes widened for a split second, then relaxed as she recollected what had happened. "Yes... Yes, I remember." The battle had been fairly grueling; they had decided at the last minute to fight the enemies in one group instead of three, which had been a wise choice, since they might have not done as well if they had split up. Everyone had been in a critical state at least once, and Sahlia, Fushira and Poo Snake had each fallen unconscious at some point (twice for Poo Snake). The healing abilities of Himiko and Jiro - and even Shu and Marumira, though theirs was much weaker, considering that both of them used White Magic from Minotaur Prisms - had definitely been put to the test.

"Nasty battle." Shu shook his head rapidly, as if he were shaking off a bad dream. "But, at least we got 'em, right?"

She giggled, folding her hands in front of her. "Yes, I suppose that's true."

"Himiko," Nene placed a hand on her shoulder. "Could we have a moment alone? I need to speak with you."

She blinked her surprise, but nodded regardless. "Ah, sure..."

Shu started to protest. "But-"

Himiko placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll return shortly."

Shu gave an agitated sigh, then stomped towards the others. Nene, taking Himiko by the hand, led her away.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Shu huffed angrily as he sat down with the others. "He's always with her! We never get to spend any time with her!"

"Shu," Jiro started calmly. "They're in love. It makes sense that they'd spend time with each other."

Shu, oblivious to what exactly it was that Jiro had meant, threw up his arms as he said, "Yeah, and we're her friends; we love her, too!"

Kluke and Sahlia looked at each other with lidded eyes, simultaneously saying, "He isn't getting it again."

* * *

"Nene... What is all this about?" Himiko murmured.

It was then that Nene stopped, turned to smile at her, then lifted his gaze upwards while pointing in the same direction. "Look."

"What... Oh," she gasped. Through a small hole, a piece of sky was visible - a spattering of stars. "It's lovely..." She felt so grateful to him; it had been a long time since she'd seen the sky.

"Himiko..." She heard him say.

She looked down again, and their eyes locked. As she felt herself getting lost in them, one stray thought crossed her mind. _I've missed him... so very much..._

Nene was the one to break the eye contact; he looked down, retrieving something from a small, almost unnoticeable bag tucked against his side. "I have something for you..." He pulled out the item, revealing a small... well, what looked like an orb made of metal, with a small button on it. Wordlessly, he placed it in her hand.

"What is it?" Himiko turned it over, trying to find some indication of what it could be, but found nothing, save for that button. She looks to him, in the hopes that he'll tell her.

However, with eyes twinkling, he only said, "It will answer that for you once the button is pressed."

Suppressing a weary sigh, she did as he said and...

"Oh, Nene." She tried not to cry. She really did. _But it's so hard not to when he acts so sweet..._

After the button had been pushed, small holes opened in the orb, and from them, light reflected out... A holographic rainbow. An artificial aurora.

"I found it... shortly after I had woken from my own Frozen Sleep. I kept it, thinking of how you would have liked it..." He paused for a moment, and she could tell from his eyes that he was miles away.

She clutched it tighter, the multicolored light still managing to get past her fingers. "Thank you, Nene."

He brightened slightly. "Perhaps once this is all over, I can finally take you to see those auroras."

"I'd like that." was her soft reply.

He had looked to the stars once again, for only a moment, and then had lowered his head to speak to her-

And then Himiko was kissing him.

The two embraced each other slightly, the kiss lasting for what felt like forever, but were interrupted when Nene pulled away after hearing hushed whispering. His eyes darted to the right-

There, huddled against the corner, were several members of the group.

Szabo, Toripo, and Yasato, having sensed the impending doom, had taken off the instant Nene spotted them. The others were not so lucky.

Marumira shrieked, which was followed by her just-barely-younger brother Marutora crying, "_Scatter_!!!" This, however, turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Jiro tripped on Shu, who had tripped on Kluke, who had tripped on Sahlia, who had tripped on Marumaro.

Nene stood, trembling with rage. "You..." Then, with no further warning, he broke into a run.

All of the kids shrieked this time, and with Marumaro yelling, "Lady Zola!!", they made a hasty retreat, Nene quickly gaining on them.

Himiko shook her head, chuckling at the antics, then pressed the button on the aurora-creating orb. The holes closed, taking the light with them.

Despite the joy from Nene's gift, she couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. Somehow, she wasn't sure if she would get to see those famed auroras of the ruins.

But, she smiled and started back towards their rest spot, hearing the half-terrified yells of her young friends in the distance.

Even if she didn't get to see the other auroras, that was fine. She liked Nene's aurora better, anyway.

**And that's it! :D *sigh* Hopefully I didn't completely ruin it... I suppose it's okay, but I expected it to be much better than this. But... If anybody enjoyed it, that's good enough for me. :) So... I actually can't think of anything else to say. XP Please review and let me know what you thought of it. :) This is only a oneshot, so I won't reply in the next chapter since there is none... I **_**can**_** reply with the "Review Reply" feature; I've been busy lately, so it might take me a while, but I **_**will**_** do it ASAP. Also, if anyone has ideas for replying to anonymous reviews, please tell me... I still haven't had any ideas. But, if no one has ideas, I'll keep trying to think of something. So... Thank you for reading! :D**


End file.
